Archives December 2015

Struggling to get a good night’s rest, particularly as you get older, is not uncommon. How can you sleep better so that you feel better in the mornings? Try out the following tips.

1. Set a schedule

You want your body to recognize when it is time to be asleep and when it is time to be awake. However, if you go to bed at different times each night, you are simply confusing yourself. Set a bedtime and stick to it. Get up at the same time each day as well, even on the weekends.

2. Use Natural Light to Your Advantage

In order to help your body understand daytime versus nighttime, it is important to expose yourself to natural light during the day and avoid bright lights at night. For example, go on a morning walk or ensure that your blinds are open at work. Also, avoid screens prior to bed, like the television or your smartphone.

3. Don’t Nap

Napping will mess up your nighttime routine. If you find yourself too exhausted to carry on, make sure that you do not nap for longer than 30 minutes. And, if you find yourself getting sleepy during the day, try getting up and taking a little walk.

4. Be Wary of Caffeine

After 12:00 in the afternoon, you should limit your caffeine intake. Remember that caffeine is found in foods other than coffee; for example, there is caffeine in chocolate as well. Examine your diet to see if you are consuming caffeine in the afternoons without even realizing it. Make small changes to what you eat so that you can avoid sleeplessness at night.

While sleep may elude you now, if you alter a few things about your daily routine, you could help yourself to get into a better rhythm. Try the tips above to see if they help.

Most people suffer from dark circles or discoloration under their eyes at some point or the other. There are many different reasons why you may get dark circles under your eyes and these include a lack of sleep, aging, mental stress, long hours in front of a computer, bad diet, prolonged crying and much more. These dark circles are not a very serious problem, however, they do affect how you look and feel about yourself. So, in this article we will look at how you can avoid them or at least get rid of them.

One easy way to naturally get rid of dark circles is to see what is going wrong in your life. For example, if you don’t get enough sleep, then you need to make sleep a priority. Once you start getting more sleep, you will notice that your dark circles start to slowly fade away.

Another way to get rid of them is to apply almond oil under your eyes, just before bed. If you don’t have almond oil, you can use vitamin E oil as this is just as effective. When you are applying any one of these oils to the skin under your eyes, be sure to carefully massage it into your skin and you will soon see the dark pigmentation clearing away.

Lastly, you can cut cucumber into big slices, refrigerate them for 40 minutes and then place the slices on top of your eyes, over the dark circles and allow them to rest for 15 minutes. When the time has elapsed, simply wash the area with cool water and repeat this about twice per week.

Healthy eating is absolutely essential if you want to avoid lifestyle diseases and ensure that you look and feel great. The better you eat, the better you will feel and just about everyone wants to have a better quality of life. However, eating well can be difficult and we will now look at a few ways that you can make it much easier.

Choose the right carbohydrates.

In order to eat healthier, you will have to assess the type of foods that you currently eat. If you eat a lot of white bread, then you should know that this is not good for you. So, this doesn’t mean that you have to stop eating bread, you should instead choose whole wheat or whole grain bread. This is a much healthier alternative that has natural grains and seeds that provides much needed fiber in your diet.

Simple carbs, like sugar and flour, are quickly absorbed by the body but this causes a kind of carb overload. At that point our body releases huge amounts of insulin, to combat tha overload. Complex carbs, on the other hand, are slowly digested by the body. They include whole-grain flour, hearty vegetables, oats, and unprocessed grains, like brown rice. These foods are usually higher in vitamins and other nutrients that are beneficial for the body, and they are higher in fiber (which keeps your digestive system running smoothly).

Eat lean, meat protein.

Protein help building muscle and gives you the energy throughout the day. Try to get between 10% and 35% of your daily calories from protein. Great source of of healthy proteins include: Lean fish such as: flounder, sole, cod, bass, perch, and halibut.

Incorporate more vegetables into your daily diet

Vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants that you need to be healthy. Make sure to eat vegetables with every meal, at least 2-3 servings in your day.

Leafy greens like kale, collard greens, mustard greens, and Swiss chard are packed with nutrients and will fill you up very quickly.

In closing, if you want to be healthier, then you need to focus on making and eating better foods. It all comes down to your choice and willpower, so if you put your mind to it, you will be able to change your lifestyle and become healthier and happier as a result.

Having clear and healthy skin starts by making sure you remove your makeup each night before bed. Sometimes you’re totally exhausted and simply don’t have energy for removing your makeup. Trust me, whatever you do, don’t skip this. How else do you expect your skin to rest and renew while you sleep?

There are a number of different approaches you can take to ensure that all traces of makeup are gone from your skin so that it can breathe and repair itself throughout the night. The following guide outlines three ways to properly remove makeup that you can try.

It might sound silly but Pull your hair back first.

Tie your hair into a ponytail first, so you expose your entire face and hairline. This is crucial, since a lot of makeup builds up around your hairline and, if left to unwashed, it can cause unsightly blemishes along your temple

1. Start with eye makeup remover.

If you use waterproof mascara and a liner, use an oil-based cleanser. It will dissolve the waterproof makeup so you don’t have to scrub or pull on your skin or lashes^. Simply apply the makeup remover to a cotton pad and gently wipe it over the surface of your face. Follow up with a warm, damp washcloth to wipe away the makeup and remover.

2. Use oil.

Oil works in much the same way as over the counter makeup remover. It breaks down the bonds of the makeup and makes it easy to wipe away. Some oils you may want to try include coconut oil, olive oil or almond oil. Simply apply some of the oil to your face and gently rub it over the surface of your skin with your fingers. Again, follow up with a warm washcloth to wipe away the excess oil.

3. Use a liquid cleanser.

This method works well with light makeup such as basic foundation or makeup that is not waterproof. Simply wash your face with the cleanser according to the manufacturer’s instructions and gently pat it dry with a clean towel. You may find that the oil method or makeup remover is more effective if you wear heavy makeup — particularly around your eyes.

Note: Cleansing water such as micellar waters, might be best option for extra sensitive skin and should easily remove lighter makeup and liquid liner.

Experiment with these three ways to remove makeup to find out which one you like the best. Once you establish a basic routine, make it a habit to always remove your makeup before bed. Your skin will thank you for it!